New Audi A5 Cabriolet to be Unveiled this week, S5 Gets 3.0 TFSI

Audi will publish the first official images and details off the new A5 Cabriolet and its S5 sibling by the end of the week, according to Carscoop sources. Unlike the BMW 3-Series Convertible, Infiniti G37 Convertible and the Lexus IS 250C, Audi continues to resist the trend toward retractable hard tops preferring to equip the A5 and S5 Cabriolets with a more traditional and less complicated/heavy, electric folding canvas roof.Power options for the A5 Cabriolet will remain the same as the Coupe offerings minus the 2.0 TDI. The range will include 2.7-litre and 3.0-litre V6 diesels with outputs of 190HP and 240HP, two 2.0-litre TFSI petrol units with 180HP and 211HP and a 3.2-litre V6 FSI petrol with 265HP.

Our sources have also confirmed that S5 Cabriolet will be offered from launch with the S4's brand-new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 petrol engine that pumps out 333HP and a hefty 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft) of torque. Power will be channeled to all four-wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox or optionally, via Audi's new seven-speed dual-clutch S-Tronic transmission. In 2009, the same powertrain will also replace the current S5 Coupe's 354HP 4.2-liter V8 unit.

Both the A5 and S5 Cabriolets are expected to go on sale by spring 2009.